Meeting #4
September 23, 2009
I. Meet and Greet
II. President’s Announcements
o DUES ARE DUE TODAY!
o If you are a member and do not pay the local dues today, then you will have
to pay an additional $15 along with the required $40
o 9/30 –NO MEETING (FALL BREAK)
o 10/7 – Meetings resume at 6:00
o 10/9 – LAST DAY TO TURN IN DUES AND APPLICATIONS
o 10/16 – October Social (details TBA)
o 10/23 – Initiation! 6:00 at the Union
III. Officer Announcements
o Sign up for T-Shirts with Ashleigh Tassin
o “Eat, Sleep, Law” design
o Will probably cost $15; just depends on how many people sign up
o Intramurals
o Sign up with Michael Tassin before October 6th
o Flag football or beach volleyball
o Service Project – “Boo at the Zoo” on October 17
o Sign up with Emily Wojna
o Must sign up for 1 of the 3 shifts
IV. Guest Speaker: Mr. Kirk Landry
o Background
o Started out as a clerk, then an associate, and is now on the management
committee.
o Mr. Landry’s firm specializes in litigation.
o His firm has mostly lawyers from LSU (not for any particular reason).
o Feel free to contact Mr. Landry with any further questions that you may have.
o Recruiting process
o “Mook” Court taking place at the Law Center tonight – usually have 8 or 10
different teams that go throughout the country
o Associate position is generally an entry level job. They are usually on the
partnership track. An Associate position usually lasts 3-8 years, just
depends on the firm.
 Non-equity partner is when you can move into a partnership, but
not own a part of the entity.
 Equity partner
o Staff attorney is not an associate; more limited in compensation and
autonomy.
o
o
o
o
o
Clerkships – schools generally have an office of guided staff that can provide
you with information on jobs, especially clerkships.
 Use it as a training ground, experience.
 Ask whether a clerkship with the firm you are interviewing with is a
step stone to an associate position.
 Ask questions
 Find out if there is an exit policy at that particular firm.
 Ask the firm during the interviewing process “do you have a
mentor?”
o Because you want to have interactions with the
lawyers, not the librarian.
 Law schools use it as a way to find those law students that they
want to work with in the near future.
 He calls this the “beer test.”
 If you know you want to live out of state, then interview with firms
out of state.
 Use whatever resources are available at your school.
 Look at the websites of different law schools.
 Career services will arrange for interviews. It is all computerized
now.
 Their firm generally hires people with the “full package.”
o His advice: carefully put what you put on your
resume. Also, if you have moderate grades be sure
to put them on your resume. Be sure to include
your extra curricular activities, because it could be
something you and the recruiter could talk about.
Law clerk: is kind of like an intern, except you get paid for it. Some firms
use it as a recruiting tool. For example, they look at their law clerks to see
who they would like to work for them in the near future.
Also have Judicial Internships – a valuable experience.
He discourages students from saying early on “I want to be a Patent
Lawyer.”
 For example, what they thought they were going to do in law
school, is not what they ended up practicing.
 Look for firms that may have an interest to you.
 He also strongly encourages everyone to pick different kinds of
firms.
 Ask questions, look how long it takes to become a partner, etc.
It is important when going through the recruiting process, to ask questions.
 If a firm cannot answer your questions, then maybe it is not for you.